To Kill A Vampire
by JamieLoves2Write
Summary: Being a vampire slayer isn't easy, and with Blayke revealing his true self, amd death being immenent, it's about to get even harder. When faced with the hardest decision ofe her life, will she choose new love or trusted mentor?
1. prologue to chapter 2

To kill a vampire

By Jamie-Lee Reed

Prologue

Ava Daniels back flipped on to the stone casket. The light of the full moon filled the area around her. Looking out of hazel brown eyes, she could see the miles of cemetery that surrounded them. The piles of earth, which had been ripped apart by the undead trying to roam the land, lay underneath the faded gravestones like innocent mole hills. Nobody would know that they had been the door between the underworld and our planet.

The church spire Climbed as high as the clouds, shadowed by the tall pine tree that grew behind it; yet in the distance the recently built white memoriam glistened like a piece of heaven. Flowers were carefully placed on loved ones resting spots; she could even see the black coal gate that hung over the entrance to the graveyard. This scary, uncomfortable place, was so familiar to Ava now, it was like a second home. She took a moment of thought to look up at the stars and take in their beauty as they played their continuous games as children did, they were so meaningless but they meant so much to Ava, another world she could always escape to, a place that would take her away from all of this drama, the drama she knew nothing about only 6 months ago.

Suddenly time seemed to slow down so seconds lasted for minutes. Ava's golden hair was blowing furiously as the wind continued to howl. She looked to her left to see her best friend Crystal fighting the ocean blue harpy.

The harpy's weren't the best looking creatures, part bat, part women was never a good combination. Their mouths were snouts snarling and grinning to show the fang like nashers that spread against the jaw line. Their eyes were only two slits on the each side of their face but when fully opened a pit of darkness was all that could be seen. They had wide bony wings, which looked so weak they would tear at the slightest touch but when fully wrapped around the harpy's body they acted like a sheet of steel. With claws as long as daggers and no record of there ever being a harpy attack before the trio thought them to be virtually invincible.

Crystal's blood red hair was also blowing with the wind as if fighting with its self. Crystal kept throwing blows to harpy trying to do the most damage but its wings were around its face acting like armor.

Crystals newly bought glovlets were torn to pieces as she scratched at the harpies cocoon like outer casing. Her hands were a painted glossy red with blood but still she carried on fighting.

She jumped backwards to get a moments piece when suddenly the moonlight filled her chocolate brown eyes as a smug grin spread across her face. The harpy looked up. Crystal ripped open her leather waistcoat to reveal several small bottles. The harpy sank as it realized what the vials contained. She tried to fly away but crystal chucked them, two at a time towards the harpies back. When the glass would hit the harpy, boils seems to rise on the skin. When Ava had opened her eyes she saw the pile of stringy blue mess on the floor and Crystal smirking right next to it.

Next Ava turned to her right to see her boyfriend Luke battling with the bogey green harpy. His once gorgeous curly blonde hair was now a stringy green thanks to the blood of the creature. He tried with all his might slashing at the monster but it just wouldn't seem to die. Crystal came running across the grass to try and help him but the harpy just knocked her to the floor. This made Luke mad.

"Nobody hurts my friends!" He screamed as he pushed the harpy backwards. The moon showed his crystal blue eyes flash red as he filled with anger. Seconds later he had pulled a small yet powerful handgun out of his backpack and the green harpy just lay there, two bullet holes paired together above the heart.

Finally Ava span to face the final harpy. Ava stood, paralyzed, as the fiery red harpy came raging towards her. What was wrong with her she had done this many times before? She closed her eyes hoping for the best but nothing happened. When she re –opened her eyes Ava saw the harpy had gone, her friends had gone, everything that was there had gone.

Chapter one

6 months ago

The once moonlit cemetery was now a black and white library. Her school library. Suddenly a voice came from above.

"Ah … here it is."

Ava looked up to see her mentor Alexis Jones, why was she getting a book the normal way? She usually uses magic. Ava's body was moved to sit at the first desk on the right. Her body was being moved for her; she couldn't control her movement, or say a single word.

Alexis made her way back down the stairs; this was like déjà vu, like re-playing a memory but actually being there.

The scene started to fill with colour as Alexis moved closer to Ava. Her toned calves were put one straight in front of the other. Ava remembered Alexis saying her skirt was too tight but it was for fashion. Ava continued to scan Alexis's body, was this a trick? How could any one of known about this day, only she and Alexis were there then. The day she found out she was a slayer. That day happened almost six months ago.

Alexis sat down in front of her, the memory hadn't changed. Her mousy brown hair was sleeked back into a bun with a simple pin through it, her hazel eyes looked through her rectangle glasses that hung on the end of her nose.

Alexis slid the moldy brown book in front of Ava. "This will help you to understand." She explained "Being a slayer is very important …"

"Are you crazy? There is no such thing as vampires and demons." Ava rudely interrupted. How she wished she didn't say that now.

"I know it's a lot to take in but it's in your destiny, your fate was chosen for you many years before you were born, it's time for you to live up to that fate." she gently smiled then continued. "This symbol on the back of this book is the symbol for all slayers everywhere, I still don't know what it means but ill research it when I have time, anyway that isn't important right now what is important is you." The symbol she pointed to was the shape of a dagger inside of a crescent moon. Ava just sat there cross armed raising her eyebrows. Present Ava tried to stop herself but it was like she was trapped inside of … her self.

"If you still don't believe me after reading this book come to the cemetery tonight, we are going to do some patrolling." Alexis gazed down at Ava through harsh intense eyes and Ava could feel herself squirming in the chair.

"Fine whatever I'll come to your 'patrolling' thing but I still won't believe you." Ava popped her gum, grabbed her book and waltzed her way out to the door.

The memory faded and re-appeared again, this time she was back in the cemetery but it was still six months ago. The crisp cold night pierced Ava's lungs as she breathed in, typical for it to be cold in June! A thick fog was gliding through the air like a white blanket. She remembered it all like it was yesterday. Her body began to move towards the noise, when Ava was closer the moonlight revealed a group of students from her school and her librarian, Alexis.

"Ava im so glad you came…" Alexis gleamed at the new comer with pearly white teeth and opened her arm as an invitation but quickly pulled them back and pointed to the other people around. "This is Luke, Crystal, and Victor, Victor's leaving in the autumn so it will just be us four after then," Alexis pointed to each member of the 'gang' and there stood the people she all knew and loved today, of course the black haired, brown eyed boy, also known as Victor, wasn't around today. He died on his final day with the group maybe that's what she meant by 'he's leaving us'. But everyone else looked exactly the same, Alexis wore the same outfit from earlier that day, of course she was always the one to fight in heels, never to be without her Gucci she would say. Ava tried it once and ended up nearly getting killed so she thought Biker boots would be best from then on.

Crystal wore a giant tutu, Black of course, but with a bright neon green underskirt with matching colour laces in her gothic looking corset. At that moment she emanated a sort of glow that always made Ava curious, soon she would find out that Crystal practiced magic, as well as Alexis, and she was currently practicing a close protection spell to keep all heat in and all cold out. Crystal was a curious being, she loved big hair and big clothes, total opposites from each other her and Ava would soon become great friends.

Then there was Luke, oh she had fallen for him quickly, his blonde curly hair and shiny blue eyes gave him a young innocent look that Ava loved. At this moment he only wore jeans and button down shirt, obviously stealing heat From Crystal as the glow transferred over to him too.

Ava began to speak abruptly.

"Yeh yeh whatever lets get on with it im bloody freezing out here." Before Crystal had a chance to share her magic with Ava to, a raspy voice spoke out from the darkness.

"Did some one say blood?" the voice said as it reached out for Ava's neck. As the long boney fingers glided along Avas shoulder, Ava felt the chills go up her spine and her body went rigid. Suddenly she grabbed the mysterious hand and flipped the creature over. Crystal didn't hesitate and shoved a stake right through his heart. The being disappeared as his body evaporated into dust.

"What… the… hell… was… THAT?" Ava screamed.

"A vampire duh ha-ha" Luke laughed and nudged Victor playfully.

"Seriously?" Ava pushed her hand into her chest to feel the thunderous beat of her heart. "I thought you were all joking."

"Nobody jokes about these things Ava. Do you see how your slayer instincts came through then? I bet you have never done that in your life." Alexis judged.

"No I haven't"

"Well then … do you see your destiny now?

"But this can't be real, creatures like…like this," Ava bent down and picked up a handful of dust that lay on the floor now like sand. "They don't exist, they are creatures of myth!" standing up Ava threw the handful of dust into the air, the wind blew it and covered Victor and Luke, the other girls giggled to themselves but Ava still stood eyes wide and mouth agape. Brushing himself down Victor spoke to Ava and stepped forward as if to confide in her. "Look, Ava I know this is hard to believe but you just saw it for yourself!" his voice was husky but comforting, it wrapped itself around Ava and seemed to bring her back to life.

"I suppose so." She looked up for more comfort and found Luke staring at her with a cheeky boyish grin, now it was his turn to step forward.

"Yeah babe! And it's not like you have to do this yourself," he stepped forward now and wrapped his arm around Ava's shoulder's; stepping out into the light of the moon she saw his gorgeous blue eyes for the first time. "We are here to help you," he continued "Alexis was going out of her brain trying to figure out who the slayer was and now she has found you everything is going to be fine," Luke pulled on Ava's shoulder as another sign of comfort, he spoke to her with such confidence she couldn't help but feel comfortable with him, now seeing his cheeky grin again she was quite looking forward to spending lots of time with him.

"One question though," Ava broke the silence, "Why dust? Isn't that a bit clichéd?"

"When the stake goes through a vampires heart the wood expels the magic which keeps the dead, undead, if they are no longer undead they return to their original age and most vampires are over 400 years old, leaving them too dust," Alexis answered with the upmost confidence, she had obviously been doing this a long time. "But you don't need to worry about all of the logistics yet that will come with time," she smiled at Ava.

"So what happens now?" Ava said in eagerness.

"You take the oath to be a slayer. But I must warn you. Once you become a slayer you become half a person, half a soul and the need to be whole will make you want to kill, the thrill from killing is what make you feel whole."

"Okay I understand for the good of man kind and all that yeh?" she didn't understand at all really, all she felt was the yearning inside of her to be part of something bigger in the world. The chance to destroy evil by being good was overwhelmingly tempting and she could feel it in her bones. This was right. However, having half a soul was going to be difficult, as Ava was soon to find out.

"Yes Ava … yes." They all chuckled.

The laughter faded away into the distance, and the cemetery blurred all into one. Ava felt her own two feet hit the floor again and resumed control of her body. Ava remembered what she was doing before the memory happened and quickly looked up.

The fire red harpy was still raging towards her, wings spread like an eagle, as time resumed back to its normal pace, the harpy leaped onto Ava, pushing her onto the walls of the Crypt and onto the floor. She kicked the harpy off and hastily jumped up.

The harpy sprinted towards her, fangs bearing, claws at the ready, to plunge into Ava's heart. Ava slipped her daggers out from her sleeves and as the harpy lashed onto Ava, its body went limp, and its raging heart faded to nothing. It was dead. As Ava slid the harpy off of her knifes she looked down in disgust. The harpies purple blood was more of a goo than a liquid. Ava hated this burden she had been given.

"AVA … AVA WHER ARE YOU?" She heard her friends shout. Then she remembered if it wasn't for this burden she would not have the wonderful friends she has now

Chapter two

Incomplete

A crisp cold day in December. The golden brown leaves had all fallen off the trees and when the cold would hit you it would numb your whole body. The snowflake ball was around the corner and nobody could wait for the big event. Ava had always dreamed of being on the prom committee and this year she was. Even though it was a freezing cold morn she still had the determination to get all of the decorations up before the dance, even if it meant having to put them up herself.

Ava slowly put one hand onto the icy metal ladder and began to climb, with the ice blue banner in her mouth. Her hands now red raw and barley able to move she attached the crisp, glossy paper to the wall with some string; when suddenly a horrendous roar of wind came from no where. The ladder began to rock violently, Ava screamed as she lost her balance, unable to move her fingers to hold on she plummeted to the ground. She closed her eyes hoping for the best, feeling and hearing the rush of wind and that swept passed her on the way down, but nothing happened. There was no pain, no warm sensation of a liquid trickling from any place, no desire to 'move on', just nothing.

Ava slowly crept open her eyes to see she was feet off the ground, was she floating? She turned her head to see she had been caught, like a damsel in distress, by Blayke O'Mara. The sun glistened on his wavy brown hair, and his smug grin completed the picture. It felt as if the world had stopped, she tried desperately to catch her breath as her heart pumped faster and faster. Blayke was ridiculously pale even for somebody who lived in Oxford, but the look suited him. As she gazed deeply into his emerald green eyes, she became fixated in a trance, and an instant connection was made. She felt…protected. Suddenly out of the corner of her eye she saw Luke approaching them from a distance, jumping out of Blayke's arms she straightened herself up. He smiled at her, confused in a way. Luke changed his path but continued walking into the school gates, Ava looked back to Blayke to catch a glimpse of what looked like a fang, but this couldn't be possible vampires couldn't survive in the daylight, so Ava discarded it.

"Thank you for catching me I don't know what would have happened if you wouldn't have been here." Ava giggled.

"No problem what would this school be like without you," Blayke grinned.

"You know who I am? You know that I exist?" Ava said in disbelief, truly shocked by the image of beauty's words, how could HE have noticed HER?

"Of course," he smiled, "You're in my biology class, two rows from the front I believe, and I can't help but notice you,"

"Oh!" she said with excitement "Well I kind of noticed you to," she smiled shyly down at her feet and to her surprise he was doing the same.

"Oh you're bleeding," Blayke smirked, while wiping off the blood. Again the flash of a fang, no way to ignore it now, something had to be done.

"Oh I must have hit a twig or a branch on the way down I must go see the nurse and have her take care of it, so… well any way see you around and thank you again."

"Yeh see you around." Blayke put his finger to his mouth to lick off the little bit of blood he had wiped off of Ava's face.

Ava rushed down the corridor and burst open the big red oak doors that led to the library, the adrenaline that pumped through her veins made the 100 year old doors fly open and the noise ricocheted abruptly around the room, but Ava continued on her war path. The library was the oldest room in the school; it had walls so high no one could see were they ended. Shelves and shelves filled with the most unimaginable books, books that were almost 1000 years old. Its structure the original one from the original building made from solid red oak that was growing in the field that the school was built on. Ava scanned the numerous platforms to try and find the librarian, suddenly out of no where Alexis popped out in front of Ava. Alexis looked the same as always tied back mousy brown hair. A suited jacket, with a skirt, that showed her muscular calves. She didn't have the expression she normally did though, not the normal happy and chirpy Alexis no, something was wrong.

"I have something to tell you," they both said nervously.

"You first." They both replied.

"No you first."

Ava held out her hand as if to tell Alexis to stop.

"Me first yeh…" Alexis nodded "well… I think Blayke may be a vampire I don't know how and I don't know why I suddenly think this but I saw him today and I thought I saw a fang but vampires cant go out in daylight so I think this is very weird. Do you think this is weird? I think it's weird. I've never heard of a vampire that can walk around in the daylight." Ava took a big breath and Alexis stopped her from beginning again.

"He might very well be a vampire, have you ever heard of _dies lamia_? Well obviously not or otherwise you wouldn't be so confused, its Latin for day vampires, here…" she conjured a book from the highest shelf and it came gently down and landed on Alexis's hand. "This is all you will ever need to know about them." She opened the book to page 217 and read the passage at the top. "a _dies lamia_ is a very rare yet very extravagant thing to encounter, only one _dies lamia_ can exist at a time and they have the same properties as a slayer…" she continued "a _dies lamia _has half a soul like a slayer does, unlike normal vampires who have no souls, _dies lamia_ have human capabilities and are free to roam the earth like normal human beings except for the fact they have to have blood to survive." Alexis slammed the book shut and looked down at Ava through her glasses in a secretive kind of way. "So there you go _dies lamia_ huh."

"Well is he dangerous? Do I have to kill him?"

"No, not at all not unless, he attacks you, but _dies lamia_s are normally very nice people."

"Okay phew… what did you have to tell me then?"

"It doesn't matter I'll tell you another time" looking away she place the crumbling book back onto her desk, turning her back on Ava.

"Okay, if you're sure, I'll talk to you later then." Not quite fulfilled with the answers she was given there was nothing more to do than go home, but something about Alexis' mysterious mannerisms troubled Ava inside.

Ava grabbed her bag and skipped out of the doors knowing that her mind was at ease and she didn't have to slay the person who had saved her life.

Darkness, a distant voice was heard from a far, a blurry image of Crystal's dorm room came into view, and Alexis, Luke and Crystal were gathered around the kitchen table looking quite worried and frustrated. It's still night time and the moon is the only thing that was lighting up the room. Suddenly the image was quickly zoomed in on. A big green book was lying in the centre of the wooden table and all three of them were staring at the text with fear.

"Oh no what do we do?" Crystal questioned Alexis.

"We have to find it, obviously, if we don't she will die." Alexis frowned.

"Why don't we find it with out her knowing then she wont panic?" Luke smiled hesitantly.

"NO, she has to know it says here she is the only one that can track it down." Alexis shouted.

"Then it's settled then… we tell her or Ava dies."

The image started to slip away, Ava reached out to grab it but it disappeared through her fingers.

Suddenly Ava woke up in cold sweat her chest heaving, her heart pumping, it was a dream, and it was so real. Ava grabbed her dressing gown and torch and ran down the stairs kicking open flat no.14b to see Alexis, Luke and crystal all gathered around the book, exactly how she pictured in her dream.

"TELL ME THEN, GO ON, TELL ME," Ava screamed, she ran towards the book and ripped it out of Luke's hands. "Is this what you wanted to tell me? Was it? That I'm going to die? Huh? Huh!"

"Ava just sit down and we will explain…" Alexis squeaked.

"No I will not sit …" Ava's eyes began to close and all went into darkness again. She could here the screams around her but she couldn't see the scene before her.

"AVA...AVA...AVA...!" Crystal screamed.

Ava opened her eyes to see Alexis and Luke surrounding her and Crystal by her side crying.

"Ava … your awake." Crystal collapsed once more onto Ava's stomach.

"What… what happened?" Ava croaked

"You passed out. This is what we were talking about, I found out the other day what the slayer symbol means… the sword is a sword you have to find, its called the _luxlucis mucro_, meaning sword of light, it is used to complete your ritual of being a slayer if you do not complete this ritual by 6 months of you finding out you're a slayer then …. Then…"

"I die."

"Yes you die… I'm so sorry Ava, but the anniversary of you finding out is..." rushing to her side, she clasped her hands on Ava's arms with desperation for forgiveness.

"In 2 weeks time,"

"Im so sorry I should of looked at it before!"

"It's not your fault how were you supposed to know, I should have known my self that's probably what the vision was for"

"Vision? ... What 'vision'?"

"I had a vision when we were fighting the harpies, it was about the first time I found out like a memory relapse, and it was probably a sign. But there is nothing we can do now; we will just have to find this sword it can't be that hard" she didn't know that for sure, but she had to keep spirits up as she was the hope of the group, but really reality hadn't sunk in yet, death could be looming closer than she thought. Funny how she dealt with her life ending everyday when fighting creatures of the night, but the wicked curse sank fear deep into her heart.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't think it was a matter of importance, how was I supposed to know it was my sub-conscious telling me I was going to die in two weeks!" everybody stared at Ava in silence, it was like the realization of death had just slapped them all in the face.

"Oh well it doesn't matter now," Alexis cleared her throat and struggled to continue with the conversation. "… okay … we will start in the morning... Get some rest my dear; you have had a heavy load dumped on you this evening." Alexis stepped over to Ava and Luke politely lifted Crystal off of the floor and out the way. Reaching for Ava's elbow, Alexis smiled at her but it was a weak smile that did not touch Alexis's eyes, no, they carried traces of guilt and sadness. Suddenly Crystal's cold gray hand stretched out to stop Alexis, speaking softly she whispered.

"You can stay here tonight don't bother getting up," Crystal smiled, taking her hand of Alexis's and bending down to let it gently glide across her best friend's face. Smiling back at her friend's kind gesture, Ava lifted her hand also to touch Crystal's hand that lay upon her face.

As the girls gazed lovingly into each other's eyes Luke couldn't help but feel uncomfortable, so he tried to busy himself with the task of finding Ava a blanket for the night. Not even noticing his absence, Luke returned with Crystal's spare cotton quilt from the cupboard and approached the girl's once more.

Hearing his approach Ava looked up at Luke, bewildered, she had even forgot about his presence. He slowly knelt down besides Ava and placed the blanket on top of her rigid body, she gazed deeply into his beautiful blue eyes and smiled at the familiarity that was about them, but she couldn't help but feel she needed something more…

Pushing the thought from her mind she tilted her head up to kiss her boyfriend goodbye, as he and Alexis left the room she felt an over whelming sadness, loneliness. Suddenly, Crystal began to speak and Ava realized she would never truly be alone.

"I'll wake you in the morning and we can go to the Library together," smiling at Ava again. She was no longer at Ava's side but in the kitchen fixing Ava a cup of hot chocolate, laughing to herself she brought the mug over.

"I know it's not much but it may help," handing the mug over she sighed deeply and brushed her fingers through her hair, she resumed touching Ava's face once more.

"Death is a scary thought," she could not look Ava in the eyes, but only stared at her own fingers as they traced the contours of Ava's cheek bones. "But, I know we will make it through, and you have my constant support," she was looking into Ava's eyes now, "Always," she breathed.

"Thank you," Ava sniffed, stifling away the tears, she was so glad to have Crystal at a time like this. "Ha ha, look at me welling up already god! Stop messing with me Crystal we both need sleep," finishing her chocolate she passed the mug over to Crystal and she hastily took it back over to the sink. Looking back up at Ava her lips twitched the sign of a smile but it faded quickly.

"Until the morning," she breathed and stepped into her room, slamming it shut. Ava heard her friend slide down the side of her door, and the muffled sobs came shortly after.

"Good night," she whispered.


	2. chapter 3  chapter 5

Chapter 3

A destined soul

After only 2 hours sleep Ava's soul yearned to be whole, it needed to be complete. She woke with a ghastly roar as the pain grew inside of her. Crystal crashed through her bedroom door with a look of pure horror, skin a ghastly grey.

"What's wrong? WHAT'S WRONG?" Crystal screamed.

"I…don't… know…need…_help._" Ava groaned, reaching out for Crystal she fell off the sofa whilst clutching the imaginary hole that seemed to be allowing her soul to escape.

The room started to turn and all Ava could see was her broken spirit lifting from her body. What was happening? Was her soul going? Then, suddenly she started to be dragged back to her limp body, when Ava re- opened her eyes, to see how her soul had been pulled back, she saw herself holding a dagger and Crystal holding her blood covered chest.

"What happened?" Ava questioned while going to Crystals aid.

"I remembered killing makes you feel complete," of course Ava thought, she had been so busy the past 6 months she never felt the need to be complete but now it was coming over her, as did death. "So I thought by doing this you could stay awake long enough so you can actually kill someone." Crystal strained to smile.

"You didn't have to do that."

"Yes I did. We couldn't have you dying now could we?" and as simply as the cut had appeared, Crystal waved her hand and the thin pink line faded into nothingness. They both laughed faintly; obviously death was still a sensitive subject to talk about at the moment.

"Don't worry about me now, go and kick some vampire ass while you're still fresh and fighting." She wheezed as the effects of the magic still lingered, Crystal walked over to the sink to wash the knife, trying to forget the images of her gaping wound.

"Alright alright," Ava moaned.

She smirked as she got up slowly from the floor, Crystal was to kind to her and she was going to repay her someday, unlike her old friends, Crystal was never bitchy and she never back stabbed, only after being friends for 6 months Ava would trust Crystal with her life and at some points she had! Ava picked up a wooden steak as she waltzed through the door and began to make her way to the only place she could go to get a decent kill, the hang out of all bad guys. The crypt.

Fog creped along the icy concrete floor as Ava patrolled the cemetery grounds. The moon was high in the sky and the eerie scene seemed to glow under the moon light. A rotten foul stench drifted in the air, the smell of death. White blankets of breath grew and then disappeared into the night as Ava continued to breathe heavily. The frosty grass glistened as the moons beams hit the tiny little ice crystals.

Ava devilishly looked out of the corner of her eye to the big crypt in the centre of the cemetery. It was thousands of years old, it had no graves in it, it was filled with holes and covered in moss but still it was a historical landmark to the little town so it was precious. Ava knew that's were the vampires hide out was, nobody went in there so it was perfect. She slowly crept up to the rotten moldy door, she could hear them laughing, just being close to this amount of evil was making her pulsate inside. She stood, holy water at the ready, just about to kick down the door when, someone leaped out of the darkness and pushed Ava to the ground.

Ava looked up in amazement, why struggling to get free against the strong grip of the vampire; it was Blayke. His jeweled green eyes sparkled under the moonlight he looked so innocent but she knew he wasn't; Ava pushed him off of her and nervously scrambled to her feet. The colour was erased from her face as she came to terms with the fact that he was a vampire and he just attacked her so this meant … she had to kill him.

Ava gazed deeply into Blaykes eyes; her eyes started to leak tears but would turn to ice as they rolled down her cheeks. Blayke looked at her like a confused puppy dog, she slowly raised the wooden weapon. Her eyes began to stream as she realized she was never going to see him again, she was never going to look into his beautiful green eyes, she was going to kill the one who saved her life only days before. Blaykes eyes flickered up to Ava's hands and he realized what she was about to do. Ava breathed in and began to drag the stake down towards his heart when suddenly Blayke caught her arm and pressed his body up against hers. He smelt her sweet natural fragrance as he peeled the life taker out of Ava's hand. She closed her eyes and took in what was happening, burying her head into Blayke's chest she wrapped her arms around him, half because she felt guilty and half because she felt a pull towards him.

"Sorry," she whispered gently As Ava burst out into tears, He held her close, but swiftly opened his mouth and directed his fangs towards her tender neck...

"What do you think you are doing?" Ava screamed as she pushed Blayke away.

"Ssshhh!" Blayke whispered, pulling her to the ground to get cover from any spying vampires, while nodding towards the vampire filled crypt. "I'm sorry, I couldn't resist, I tasted your blood when you fell from the ladder, it was likes oranges and honey, so sweet, unlike any other I've tasted."

"I don't care you didn't have permission and this is a cemetery … scared grounds! You know what happens when you bite on sacred grounds don't you."

"Yes … but ..." he smiled devilishly and rolled to his left so that he was now on top of Ava, pinning her to the ground, she struggled at first but then relaxed as she realized he wasn't letting her go.

"But nothing we can't be eternally joined I'm a slayer you're a vampire do you know how bad that is? Plus … I have a boyfriend." Ava looked away as if she didn't want Blayke to know about Luke.

"That didn't seem to bother you when I was hugging you." Blayke leaned in closer to Ava and pulled back his lips over his teeth in a slight grin, getting closer he began to pout and Ava realized he was searching for a kiss.

"Just don't try it again," she interrupted his movement and he looked up at her through slits, angry she had disturbed the flow of passion. Blayke sat up in a huff and crossed his arms across his chest; he did not like it when people did not play along with his games. Ava, realizing she was free, lifted her legs and rolled over so she was now on top, Blayke reached out for her to pull her back down to him but she jumped to her feet before he could touch her. "Now if you don't mind I have some people to kill… I have half a soul and I need to feel complete, like you, so if you excuse me..."

"You don't know do you?" getting to his feet also, he took a step closer to Ava.

"Know what?" she turned on the balls of her feet to face the Blayke to read his face, not knowing he had got up she had turned directly to face his chest, he was so close. Strangely the closeness felt good, it felt natural but the shock of finding him there made her instinctively take a step backwards. Blayke smirked to himself. "We're two halves of a whole, I make you complete, you complete me, soul mates blah blah blah." Whilst speaking he was waving his arms about provocatively as if he speaking of something casual, but how could love be casual. Ava stood with her arms crossed, raising one eyebrow.

"Do you not know what that is? Did your mentor not tell you?"

"Tell me what?" she was beginning to get frustrated with him now, she obviously didn't know what he was talking about so why did he have to be so stupid and tease her this way! Blayke saw that she was getting irritated as she began to tap her foot on the floor and one of her eyes and become slightly more squinted that the other, he thought it best to just come out with it.

"That whenever there is a _dies lamia_ and slayer on the earth at the same time they are destined to be together to complete each other… we both have half of a soul so if we bind together we get one whole soul. Do you see now?"

Ava's jaw opened widely as well as her eyes, her heart sunk as she realized why Alexis slammed the book shut after reading her the passage about _dies lamia_ in stead of letting Ava read it for herself. Ava didn't feel like killing any more, she looked back at Blayke through tear filled eyes, his face dropped when he saw how upset she was; this news was supposed to be happy, he thought she wanted him, obviously not. Stepping closer to Ava he outstretched his arm to smooth her face and to wipe away the tears, but she turned away from him abruptly and began to walk at a very fast pace.

"I… have to go… we'll talk about this later…" she shouted back to Blayke as she made for a hasty exit towards the cemetery gates.

"But your energy … your soul it needs feeding!" Blayke shouted as Ava disappeared into the night.

Chapter 4

Secrets

Wind blowing, the small pebbles crunched underneath Ava's feet, as she ran down the long and windy road. Her heart was beating against her rib cage as if it was a lion wanting to be free from the zoo. Tears flowed down her cheeks, they were rivers on her skin. She felt weak, but the urge to find out the truth kept her going, she started to feel faint and her head became heavy. Ava looked up to the school building, only to see it all blurred partly from tears but mostly from her soul needing feeding, but still she continued to run towards the school gates. As she took a big breath, her pale fingers ran down the glossy green door, while the cold hit the back of her throat like daggers, every time she took a breath. She heard a voice, a familiar voice,

"Ava? … Is that you Ava…? Oh no."

She looked up to see a blurred vision of a skinny tall women walking towards her. Ava blinked to get a better picture but her eyes remained fuzzy. Ava felt her body slip down the door as she gently closed her eyes to rest, just for a while. And slowly the voice slipped away into the distance.

Ava felt her body lying on what seemed like a sofa. She lifted her arm to her head to feel the pulsating heart beat on her temples. She slowly began to lift her heavy eyelids to see the red oak wood and the 1000 year old books. She realized she was in the library. At first Ava felt a sigh of relief come over her but then she remembered her mission before she passed out. She shot up like a bullet. Ava scanned the room with her bloodshot eyes and searched for Alexis. No sign. Where was she? She was the one that saved her? Wasn't she?

Suddenly the doors creaked open, and there Alexis stood, bronze plate in hand, piled to the brim with twigs and herbs. She always liked to heal the old witches' way. Alexis looked to the seat were Ava once slept with a questioning look. At that moment memories of the cemetery and Blayke came rushing back and anger began to fill inside of Ava once more. She leapt across the desk to push Alexis flying to the ground, the bronze plate span in the air as ingredients fell left right and centre.

Ava snarled like a wildcat, as her hazel oak eyes turned black. The evil inside of her, the side that yearned to be full-filled, the side that could be completed by Blayke, rushed out and turned Ava into a raving animal. She raised her left arm like a claw ready to slice Alexis, but Alexis froze Ava in her position. Alexis didn't like to use magic against Ava unless it was absolutely necessary and she thought saving her own life was necessary.

Alexis carefully slid out from underneath Ava, trying cautiously not to stir her. Her frowning face scanned Ava's body and noticed she wasn't her self, so she chose to forgive Ava this one time. She carefully tied Ava to a chair so that when Alexis unfroze her there would be no chance of Ava trying to kill her again. Alexis took a big breath and finally decided to awaken Ava from her motionless sleep.

Alexis flicked her hand and Ava suddenly started to struggle to get free from her rope cage. Her eyes still pitch black; Alexis knew she had to calm her down. Alexis starred deep into Ava's eyes, it was going to hurt but it was the only way, so Alexis grabbed Ava's hands and breathed in slowly. The room began to spin around them and a ball of shining white light appeared in between them both. Alexis concentrated as Ava continued to lash out at her. Suddenly the white light exploded and connected its self to Ava and Alexis's eyes. They both let out a roar of pain and terror as there bodies went limp. When the light had dissolved into the air all that was left was the two of them motionless on the floor. Ava slowly regained consciousness to see her mentor, pale and stiff, dead-looking. Ava started to well up with tears as she rushed to her mentor's side.

"No…no… you sacrificed your life for me and how do I repay you? … I attack you!" Ava sniffed and tried to hold in her tears. "You taught me everything I know now and now … now … your gone" Ava collapsed onto her mentors body and let the tears pour out, she just couldn't keep them in.

All of a sudden, Alexis jumped up and gazed down upon Ava. Her once innocent hazel eyes were now a midnight black and her soft smile was now a tight sneer. Ava looked up at Alexis with shock knowing the worst was yet to come, Alexis' raised her hands so Ava cringed with fear. But, Alexis brought her hands back down into her centre as the evil darkness brightened up into colour, Ava's evil side had now been tamed so Alexis let Ava's soul out of her body and back into Ava's. Ava breathed in deeply as her soul re-entered her, somehow the soul felt like it had been fed and didn't feel the need to kill anymore. Just like always.

Alexis stood in silence and Ava stuck to the floor; the only sound was there chests heaving up and down as they breathed heavily. Then, without warning, ava leaped into Alexis' arms and the pair abruptly broke down into tears.

"I thought you were dead!" Ava squealed

"I thought you hated me!" Alexis sniffed

"I could never hate you,"

"I know,"

"You sacrificed yourself for me,"

"I would do anything for you,"

Once again the girls pulled each other closer, and felt one another's embrace. But then Ava remembered the reason she came here.

"There is one thing I do need to ask you though." Ava sighed. Alexis pushed away and frowned at Ava's tone of voice.

"Of course… anything… what is it?" she replied.

"Why didn't you let me read the _dies lamia_ book for myself?" Ava looked into Alexis's eyes for some flicker of emotion, so she could see if the subject had affected her in anyway, of course it had; Alexis had been deceitful and so could not hold Ava's gaze and only looked to the floor.

"Um...well…" Alexis hesitated to answer.

"WELL..." Ava stepped closer to her.

"Well…um... there was nothing else of your interest in there."

"Well I would like to read it my self if you wouldn't…"

"NO… I mean um no, it's not necessary dear."  
>"Not necessary? NOT NECESSARY? WAS IT ALSO NOT NECESSARY FOR YOU TO TELL ME THAT <em>DIES LAMIA<em> AND SLAYERS ARE MENT TO BE TOGETHER?" Ava turned her back to Alexis and began to storm off.

"I didn't want to tell you I was afraid that…"Alexis slowly sat down on the little red couch Ava led on hours ago.

"YOU WERE AFRAID THAT I WOULD BE HAPPY WITH A WHOLE SOUL INSTEAD OF JUST HALF OF ONE! DO YOU WANT ME TO BE UNHAPPY? IS THAT WHAT IT IS?" she had turned back towards Alexis now and was storming her way back to the sofa, she stooped down and stood inches away from Alexis's face, breathing heavily, her face was flustered and red.

"Ava please, will you just calm down? You have only known this guy for like 5 minutes and you're willing to give him your soul?' she looked at Ava with pleading eyes, like the teenager she was she had fallen in love and there was nothing Alexis could do. Except be there to pick the pieces up when it was over. Quickly Alexis changed her tactics, and played the guilt trip card.

'I just didn't want you to get a whole soul because if you did… I was afraid… I was afraid you weren't going to be a slayer anymore and you wouldn't protect us from evil anymore." Ava slowly began to prop herself upright as her mentors words leaked into her brain, she was sad. She turned her body and sat next to Alexis; gently wrapping her arm around Alexis' shoulders and pulled her in closer.

"I would never stop being a slayer… it's my destiny… you know that." She whispered the words into Alexis's hair and smoothed the stray ones out of the way like a mother tending to a daughter.

"Yes but once your soul would have been complete you wouldn't of felt the need to kill anymore." Alexis began to play with her thumbs as if she already knew what she had said, what her excuse was, was pathetic.

"But I still would of known that vampires and demons were out there," she Pulled Alexis around now so she stare meaningfully into her eyes, as if this way Alexis would believe her more if she did so. "I still would of wanted to rid the world of evil… there would still be a passion to kill but not to make me feel complete… to make me feel that the world was safe."

"I guess you're right."

"Of course I'm right!" laughing she pulled Alexis into her and both sat in silence to soak in the embrace unwillingly Ava began to pull away to ask her mentor about one other detail. "So… is it true? Blayke and I are destined to be together."

"Yes… it's true." She sighed and a look of pain crossed her face as the fear of losing Ava swept over her. But then she had an idea, is could post pone the day they bound to each other then…

"But you can't be joined together until we get the sword, speaking of which we have to start looking for it today so you get some rest, ill come back and get you later okay." All of the words came out in a rather skittish blur as she hastily got of off the sofa to leave Ava and to leave her glare.

Alexis gathered up the earlier spilled ingredients, put them back on the bronze plate and smiled at Ava as she closed the doors.

"Hmm, imagine me as Mrs. Ava O'Mara…catchy." She smiled to herself and began to play with the wedding finger on her left hand.

Ava was getting all excited about becoming Blayke's eternal partner but she had forgotten one tiny detail, her boyfriend, Luke. As Ava lay down on the red velvet couch, Luke turned away from the window, a look of horror on his face, distraught by the news he had just currently overheard.

Chapter 5

Beginning

Ava looked down on the green summer fields as the daisies popped up from the earth. The wind gently breezed through her hair as the birds whizzed past her, singing to the morning sunrise. Suddenly the pale blue skies turned a foul black, the wind started to roar horrendously but it came from underneath her instead of from in front. She was falling! Ava began to panic as she looked down at the floor as it came raging towards her. A distant voice was screaming at her

"AVA! AVA!"She was now Inches away from death.

Ava screamed as she opened her eyes to see Alexis frowning with fear. Ava wiped the sweat off of her brow and breathed deeply as her heart beat slowed down. Ava looked at Alexis with a worried yet questioning face.

"You had a nightmare." Alexis frowned. "A common symptom which slayers get when they have never touched the sword,"

"Oh right… okay" Ava said while she scratched her head with concern.

"This is getting serious Ava, we have to find that sword and we have to find it now!" she pulled Ava up and rushed her to a book filled desk indicating her to start riffling through the material herself, Alexis had already been over the books a million time and found nothing, but Alexis knew Ava hated feeling useless.

Overwhelmed by the vast nothingness of information that was growing before them, and the time that was quickly dissipating Ava began to break down "I know I'm getting really worried!"

Tears began to well up inside of Ava's eyes as she went crashing down in to the heaps of papers, they whipped and flipped around the room as they went scattering across the floor.

As Ava wiped away the waterworks, took a deep breath and put on a brave face, she looked up to see her mentor shadowing over her and looking down with great concern. Alexis hid her from Crystal and Luke who were walking into the library.

"Woo hoo! Let's go I can't wait to find this 'blade' sounds like oober coolness!" Crystal jumped in excitedly.

Crystal looked around the room cautiously as she realized that all 3 of her fellow colleagues looked like death as they gazed hopelessly at their feet.

"What's wrong with you?" Crystal asked as she frowned at Luke.

He raised his head and glared into her eyes as he slowly slumped over to the red couch were Ava and Alexis were sat. Crystal raised her eyebrows in shock at Luke's rude gesture, but returned to her question turning to look at Ava and Alexis questioningly. As Ava looked at her best friend, a single sparkly droplet rolled out of her eyes and down her cheek, and she simply said,

"Im just a bit emotional today," trying her best to hide the pain inside with a slightly strained smile, "but my feelings don't matter right now we have to find this 'blade' or im going to die," she let out a slight chuckle which suddenly turned into a deep sigh of hesitation. Ava turned to face Alexis to see she was staring deeply into Ava's eyes; Alexis shook her head to get out of the trance she was in and stuttered to say

"Oh right yes, of course, of course let's start shall we?"

The gang followed Alexis over to the shiny round table, as they approached the glossy wood, their eyes widened and their jaws dropped at the sight that lay on the table.

"This book is the oldest, biggest and most intriguing book I have ever encountered, it is over 450 years old, and over 10,000 pages thick with every bit of information you would ever need."

"What is it?" Ava gasped as she reached out for the book

Alexis smacked her hand away as she replied "it's the history of the school," everybody's eyes rolled into their heads as they realized it wasn't so exciting after all, "But the most interesting part is page 8546!" as Alexis carefully peeled open the brown, moldy and tattered book cover, a cloud of thick and smelly dust puffed out from the pages, then a second layer of throat filling dust came as she dropped the heavy load of pages back onto the table. After everyone had finished their coughing fits, and the fog had disappeared you could see Ava had one eyebrow raised at Alexis's ridiculous idea, how a book about the school could know anything about the blade of death she didn't know! Alexis slid her glasses up the bridge of her nose and began to read the extract.

"According to this, and I would never declare it wrong, 100 years ago a woman named Eliza Goodhall came across a sword which gave her the abilities to destroy those who she searched for, it was able to store great amounts of light and when shone on particular beings they would evaporate as if into thin air." She looked at Ava with an 'I told you so' look, she continued "The sword seemed to have what looked like a sword inside of a crescent moon engraved on the side, with the words _trucidomalum_ carved into the handle_, _which translated to English means slayer of evil, this is it! Evrything fits the sword was in the school 100 years ago and there has been no report of it ever since, according to my research she only died 20 years ago."

Alexis shot up from the chair and ran gracefully over to the computer on the desk, as she clicked on the internet logo and google appeared she typed in _Eliza Goodhall, it_ only took seconds before the list came up and Alexis was reading her details, "Eliza Goodhall was born on the 12/3/1890, she died at the age of 98 after leading a long life filled with, life saving and demon –killing , so they say, she only ever had one child as her partner died shortly after their marriage, her daughter, _Paris Goodhall_ now lives in the place were her mother grew up, nobody knows the name of her grand child as she was put up for adoption at birth, how Eliza died we will never know but we do know she was a great help to the English community" Alexis looked up from the computer and gazed at Ava waiting for her to speak.

"Of course the answer is so simple; we go to her daughters and see if she knows anything about the where about of the sword! If she does that's our job done and I don't die!" Ava's eyes widened as she realised that maybe she could spend the rest of her life with Blayke.

"That's not just it Ava!" Alexis looked down in shame "You don't just get chosen to be a slayer, it's in your blood,"  
>Ava looked up with shock "You mean…"<p>

"She's was your grand mother and Paris is your mother"

"Are you serious?"

"Yes Ava,"

"So I get to live and find out who my mother is, all in the same day, this is perfect!" Alexis looked shock that she was happy at the news but she did not want it to be any other way.

"And it says here that she still lives here, in Oxford, this is so easy," Crystal jumped for joy as a sigh of relief came over her.

"A little too easy to me," a grim sound came from the background, everybody turned to stare at Luke, Mr. Gloom and doom just ruined the moment.

"Yeah maybe a little too easy but we can't help but give it go,' Crystal squeaked as she read the address on the web and skipped out of the room. Alexis grabbed her briefcase and followed shortly after her, but as Ava went to leave the library a small yet firm hand grabbed her wrist stopping her from going.

"Ava, we need to talk." Luke stared at his shoes then wandered over to the window. Ava gulped as she realised what was about to come, she slowly followed after him as she accepted her fate.

"Look Luke," Ava reached out for his shoulder but he abruptly jumped out of the way.

"NO! This is my time to talk now sit down, shut up and let me speak," he growled whilst throwing Ava onto the seat, she looked at him with confusion; he had never acted like this before. He lifted his head to reveal his ever so angry eyes; he took a deep breath and began to speak.

"I know about you and Blayke, how dare you insult my intelligence by thinking I wouldn't find out, did you not think it would get back to me somehow? Didn't you have the decency, the guts, to tell me yourself? What were you afraid of? This news has crushed me Ava; I have never loved anyone like I have loved you! I thought this situation was a way of fate telling us it was meant to be, but then you go and squash my heart like a bug. Do you not care how I feel?" Luke gazed at her as if he wanted her to answer his so many questions but when Ava opened her mouth to speak Luke just continued to ramble on.

"You do not know the feelings I have for you right now. I want to punch for doing this to me and making me feel this way, but I just want to kiss you because I still love you so much. Why does it have to be now? After so long, I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME!" Luke collapsed on the floor as his crystal blue eyes began to leak streams of sparkly water. Ava slipped off of the sofa and kneeled by his side to comfort him.

In a gentle, sweet yet stern voice Ava whispered "I'm so sorry Luke, I never meant it to be like this , I never wanted you to feel this bad, I never wanted to hurt you, I wouldn't wish this pain upon anybody, but what's meant to be is meant to be," she put her arms around Lukes back and pulled him closer like a baby needing the feel of being safe in its mothers arms "All of this happened so fast, I haven't had the chance to explain what's been happening, I only found out in the early hours of this morning , what the truth was. Me and Blayke have destined souls because of our life styles and that's just the way it is, he is a _dies lamia _and I am a slayer two half souls meant to be bound as one," she released her grip from Luke as the realisation hit her, she went on

"Our relationship was never love, it was never going to be love because of destiny, it was just and it always will be an infatuation, I was besotted by the amazing crystal colour of your eyes, every ship has a set destination and I'm sorry to say we have reached ours, its over," she looked deeply into Lukes eyes for the last time, before she pushed herself up from the floor and exited the library, leaving Luke, bundled up on the cold, hard ground.


End file.
